Preprint hosting requirements and priorities discussion

I was asked by an EarthArXiv moderator to add that information to the PDF and had not considered that before, but it's a very valid concern AND extremely useful. As per requirements, I think the authors should be helped by the preprint platform, and at the same time there is a chance for branding and integrating useful information.

So, when moving to the next platform, I think the generation of either a) an overlay or watermark (like arXiv) or b) automatic generation of a first page from the form metadata.

When the PDF is processed anyway, proper metadata can also be added. This information could then ideally include the final DOI, so there is a good connection between a PDF someone downloads today and the official record in 5 years time.

I so agree with this Daniel! Automated addition of preprint/postprint status is one of the key things to get. I spend a decent amount of time rejecting submissions for this reason. Also: automated/quicker checking of journal conditions around preprinting/self-archiving of post-prints.

Would it be enough to add this information as metadata (not forcing people to print it on the first page of the PDF)?

I once had permission of a colleague to put our manuscript on EarthArXiv, but all I had was the PDF and he did not want to go to the trouble of generating a new PDF. Then he started saying "we publish open access anyway", "it is confusing to have two versions", anything not to do the additional work. The easier we make it for people the more likely people will move to pre-printing.

(And I remain that we should not force people to submit to journals.)

I would not ask users to do that at all. I would just add it from the system, see e.g. the left hand margin of articles on arXiv:

Hope this clarifies.

I like the automatic watermark that adds our DOI and the disclaimer. For now, it might be worth putting a link to the instructions somewhere very very visible (impossible to ignore). I have the feeling that a lot of people just don't find them when submitting.

Yes, we've asked for this via @Tom Narock I believe, but COS never followed through. I like this watermark DOI addition if that's something that a future preprint hosting service could add.

We did indeed ask, and didn’t get anywhere...:-(

One (hopefully) great thing about moving to a dedicated preprint platform like Open Preprint System is that feature requests might get more attention. Adding new preprint features to the OSF jams these into a larger queue with other priorities.